Check out the latest news and announcements from local and national sources:
VNRC:
Get Involved Visit Our Website Give
November 2014 E-News
VNRC is a membership organization, meaning we count on people just like you for support. Right now, we are in the throes of our year-end fundraising appeal – a big but critically important project. (Keil Corey, our membership and outreach coordinator, pictured at left with an appeal flyer, is key in the effort).
So, you may soon receive an appeal in the mail – and we hope you’ll support VNRC. If you are not a VNRC member, please consider giving today online. It’s easy and it helps us keep doing all of the work that’s important to you, and to us.
(Please note: this email goes out to members and non members who are on our email list – dues-paying members get the additional benefit of our member magazine, the Vermont Environmental Report as well as the satisfaction of knowing they are directly helping VNRC further its mission.) Questions about your membership status? Email kcorey@vnrc.org Thanks!
VNRC, Partners Launch “Energy Independent Vermont” to Tax Pollution, Lower Other Levies
VNRC recently joined together with a growing, diverse coalition to launch a major initiative to help Vermont forge a clean, independent energy future through changes in tax policy.
The plan, Energy Independent Vermont, aims to address global warming and build Vermont’s economy, all while doing everything possible to protect low-income Vermonters. The plan puts a price on global warming pollution generated by burning fossil fuels and uses the money to create a new fund to help Vermonters save on energy bills and save money on other taxes.
The non-partisan Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) studied this policy initiative, and found that a pollution tax in Vermont won’t just cut greenhouse gas emissions, it will also create jobs and give a big boost to Vermont’s economy. (Download a PDF of the REMI study here.)
You can also sign a petition to Vermont’s incoming legislators asking them to pass a carbon pollution tax in Vermont.
“As Vermonters, we deeply prize our independence. And that includes energy independence,” said Johanna Miller, VNRC’s climate and energy program director. “Tackling climate change is not only the responsible thing to do, but it could also be a huge economic opportunity for Vermont.”
Dec. 6 Climate Conference: Post Carbon’s Richard Heinberg, Workshops, Networking and More!
Don’t miss the Annual Vermont Community Energy and Climate Action ConferenceDecember 6 at Lake Morey Inn in Fairlee.
Designed to inspire, support and grow the statewide network of town energy committees and other energy-ambitious Vermonters, this one-day conference emphasizes clean energy and climate action strategies that can be implemented locally. Workshops and roundtables will address energy efficiency, transportation, renewable energy, legislation, coalition-building and other essential solutions needed to meet Vermont’s energy and climate goals. Register today!The Conference runs from 9-5 (with registration starting at 8 am) and includes:
Over 20 workshops on topics ranging from community solar and energy efficiency to the legislative outlook and building powerful alliances. The conference will also feature an inspiring keynote speaker – the Post Carbon Institute’s Richard Heinberg.
There will be opening remarks from Vermont state agency energy and climate change leaders as well as a presentation and conversation with Senator Bernie Sanders. There will also be exhibits and information from dozens of renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation and clean energy experts and advocates.
Cost: $35 before Nov. 26; $45 after Nov. 26. Registration fee includes a largely local lunch. You can find more information and register here.Looking “Down Ticket” in Election Results, VCV Sees Solid Signs of Support for Green Candidates
Despite surprising results in several political races this year, including the extremely narrow margin favoring Governor Shumlin, Vermont voters broadly supported pro-environment candidates in the 2014 elections, according to the Vermont Conservation Voters.
“Vermonters clearly continue to support candidates who value a clean, healthy environment,” said Lauren Hierl, political director of the Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV).
Overall, both chambers of the Vermont legislature will contain solid majorities who support renewable energy, clean water, and other pro-environment policies, according to VCV.
Two new senators – Becca Balint (Windham) and Brian Campion (Bennington) – are both strong supporters of a clean, renewable energy future and other environmental priorities. In addition, several new representatives already have expressed impressive environmental values, including Amy Sheldon (Addison-1), Robin Chesnut-Tangerman (Rutland-Bennington), Steve Berry (Bennington-4), Chip Troiano (Caledonia-2), Mary Sullivan (Chittenden-6-5), Martin LaLonde (Chittenden-7-1), and Avram Patt (Lamoille-Washington).
Visit vermontconservationvoters.org to see the 2013-2014 Environmental Scorecard and the candidates VCV endorsed for this year’s election.
Leaks Plugged, Money Saved: Vermont’s Second Annual Button Up Day of Action a Big Success
Button Up Vermont Day of Action was a big success this year, thanks to the teamwork of over 30 communities across the state, the support of committed members, and VNRC’s partners.
Held November 1 this year, Button Up Day of Action is modeled on Green Up Day in the spring. It’s an annual day of action when Vermonters can focus on buttoning up their homes and businesses for the winter. This year several hardware stores in Vermont offered button up discounts on do-it-yourself weatherization products.
“We saw an increase in participation through community events from Burlington to Bennington, and through the 25 Button Up Video Contest submissions,” said Ben Civiletti, an AmeriCorps member working on community energy issues with VNRC. “Real growth could also be seen in statewide awareness of this important effort – so mark your calendars for November 7, 2015, the next Button Up Day of Action – it will be even bigger!”
Even Gov. Shumlin, at a Montpelier hardware store, urged Vermonters to button up their homes to save energy and money.
Do you have ideas for making next year an even bigger success? Send your ideas to bciviletti@vnrc.org
Hey, Cyclists, Where do you Bike? VTrans Wants to Know, So They Can Smooth Your Ride
To meet the growing demand for bicycling facilities VTrans is kicking off a new initiative, the VTrans On-Road Bicycle Plan. The plan will help guide improvements along Vermont state highways so they work better and are safer for all bicyclists — families, commuters and recreational riders. You can download a flyer here.
Over the next six months, with your help, VTrans will collect information from the public about where they want to ride on state roads, then identify tiers of bicycle corridors ranging from most desirable to the least desirable. This will help determine where needed bicycle improvements should be focused.
The first meeting will be December 9, 2014 from 6 – 8pm. The meeting will be broadcast using Vermont interactive Technologies (VIT) throughout the state. For more information contact VTrans planning coordiators Sommer Bucossi or Amy Bell at vermontbike@gmail.com
Electric Car Registrations on the Rise, and They’re Really Gaining Steam in Rural Vermont
The number of electric vehicles registered in Vermont almost doubled over the last year, according to the Vermont Energy Investment Corp.
There were 801 plug-in cars registered as of October 2014, an 85 percent increase in the number that were registered as of October 2013.
The majority of Vermont’s plug-in cars are registered in Chittenden County, the most populous county in the state, but the most recent numbers indicate a significant expansion of electric vehicles into other regions, with the highest per capita rate of electric vehicle ownership (about one EV for every 350 people) occurring in Lamoille County. Read more here.
Ferrisburgh Car Dealership Proposal Withdrawn, in Test of New Provisions of Act 250
A proposal for a car dealership in Ferrisburg has been withdrawn in part because it would likely not have complied with a new provision in Act 250. The provision – which VNRC played a key role in getting passed during the 2014 legislative session – is designed to encourage well-planned development and curtail strip development.
VNRC had been awarded preliminary party status in the case (arial view of the site at left) and was preparing testimony explaining how the project used land inefficiently and contributed to strip development along Route 7.
“Early testimony from the Agency of Natural Resources suggested, rightly, that the proposal was in a poor location from a natural resources and land use standpoint. We generally supported ANR’s view,” said Kate McCarthy, VNRC’s sustainable communities program director.
“We are glad this new provision – namely changes to Act 250’s Criterion 9L – was part of the analysis of this project, and we hope future development projects can move forward in locations that support our downtowns and improve existing strip development rather than worsening it,” McCarthy said.
Community Resilience Organizations Take Flight in Vermont Towns; Pilot to Launch Next Year
There’s no way to prevent disasters like Irene, but a new statewide pilot program –Community Resilience Organizations (CROs) – aims to make sure that Vermont towns are ready for whatever comes next.
“The communities that recovered most quickly following Irene were the ones that were the most prepared – with strong cross-sector collaboration and deep ties within the community,” said Transportation Secretary Sue Minter, who served as Vermont’s Irene Recovery Officer. “CROs has the potential to cultivate critical collaboration and skills in more Vermont towns, which is essential to our future resilience.”
The CROs program emerged from a combination of statewide strategic planning and personal experience. “Irene sent the White River raging through my home, toppling my grandmother’s piano,” said founder Peg Elmer Hough. “My town quickly built a structure to distribute help, food, and even to celebrate. Other towns weren’t so lucky.”
Elmer Hough, a professional land use planner, completed hazard mitigation plans for Hartford and Tunbridge to explore how better citizen engagement could improve the process. “I developed the concept for CROs to foster individual and community self-sufficiency, while helping towns to complete required hazard mitigation planning tasks,” Hough said.
Pilot teams will launch in five Vermont communities in 2015: Hartford, Jeffersonville, Londonderry, Putney, and Waterbury. CROs staff will work with the teams to help them identify and prioritize resilience actions that would benefit from broader community engagement.
CROs was awarded grants from three major funders: the High Meadows Fund, Innovations and Collaborations grant program at the Vermont Community Foundation and Canaday Family Charitable Trust has provided operational support for broader work in community resilience.
Floods, Game Cams, Shorelands and More: AVCC’s Annual Conservation Summit a Success
AVCC held its 2014 Annual Meeting/Conservation Summit November 1 in Montpelier.
Laura Hill-Eubanks, a member of the Northfield Conservation Commission and one of the presenters at the event, said the summit was a success. “I met some wonderful people and learned so much from the speakers and from other conservation commissioners,” she said. “Keep up the great work, AVCC!”
The keynote speaker Justin Kenney, Green Infrastructure Coordinator at the Department of Environmental Conservation, delivered an engaging and inspirational presentation. Workshops followed, including sessions on the new lake shoreland protection law, creating or expanding a town forest, determining if your town is “flood ready,” and using game cameras for wildlife conservation, and how conservation commissions can review development projects
Head to AVCC to learn more.
New US – China Global Warming Pollution Agreement Ramps up Pressure on Other Countries
Two of the world’s largest economic powers, and carbon emitters, announced a joint agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decades. The deal between China and the United States now puts other growing economies with big carbon footprints, including countries like India, under pressure to follow suit.
Environmental groups welcomed the announcement as a landmark step toward containing and reversing climate change.
In a statement, World Resources Institute Climate Program Director Jennifer Morgan said of the agreement: “The U.S. and China should make it a race to the top, catalyzing other countries to announce their targets and build momentum leading up to Paris,” the site of the next U.N. climate change conference.
